The present invention is directed to a system and method for flying a rotary wing aircraft having a dual rotor main rotor assembly and, in particular, to controlling a clearance between blade tips of the main rotor assembly.
Rotary wing aircraft such as helicopters generally include a main rotor assembly that sits atop a fuselage of the aircraft and a rear rotor assembly. In some models, the main rotor assembly includes two coaxial and counter-rotating rotor disks comprising an upper rotor disk of rotor blades and a lower rotor disk of rotor blades. Due to flight mechanics, the circumference of these rotor disks, i.e., the blade tips, can move up and down within an envelope. In order to ensure safe flight, it is necessary that the blade tips of the upper rotor disk do not make contact with the blade tips of the lower rotor disk. Methods for controlling blade tip clearance are often dependent on the aircraft velocity and flight path.